Lake Bergvattensjön showcases Dorotea’s natural side, while historic buildings, art and collections in town invite you to explore its cultural history, too. Trails, ski tracks and cultural attractions offer different ways to shape your stay around your interests and the season.
Walking trails and viewpoints
Sjöslingan is an easy, illuminated circular trail of about 3.3 kilometres around Lake Bergvattensjön, centrally located in Dorotea. The lake is known for its diverse birdlife. A walk by the water lets you take in the scenery of an area also known for its birds.
The Lakeside Walk in Dorotea is fully accessible with a stroller. Several fire pits along the trail offer places to take a break. Trail conditions and facilities may change; check their condition before your visit.
The surface changes along Kullerbacksrundan: the route follows a gravel fitness trail, passes through spruce forest and crosses wetlands on a boardwalk. Before descending to the Kullerbacken local heritage site, it offers a view over Dorotea. The combination of forest, wetlands and views sets this loop apart from the trail right around the lake.
Prästhällan is another destination for a short walk: the trail is signposted from Hotell Dorotea, and it is 500 metres on foot to the viewpoint. Prästhällan is on the eastern side of Lake Bergvattensjön; the hill was originally called Oxhornsberget.
Ski tracks for different abilities
In winter, the ski tracks differ not only in length but also in gradient and grooming. At Björnvallen, there are illuminated forest trails of 800 metres and 1.5 kilometres, with gentle slopes. The five-kilometre track, also at Björnvallen, runs through forest terrain, has steep climbs and is not recommended for beginners. It is groomed for classic skiing during the day.
Another option is Bergvattensjöns elljusspår: an illuminated, gently hilly forest ski trail of about 3.3 kilometres. Compared with the shorter, gently sloping trails at Björnvallen, it is longer; the five-kilometre route, in turn, has explicitly steeper climbs. These differences can help you choose a route to suit your preferred distance and level of difficulty.
Local history, art and collections
Behind Dorotea Church is Hembygdsgården Kullerbacken, an open-air local heritage site with historic buildings. The oldest dates from the late 18th century. The buildings include a hexagonal barn, a Sámi kåta and a njalla storehouse. Several houses contain exhibitions of clothing, tools and objects from various trades and social classes.
The church itself is also connected to art: it was designed by Evert Milles and contains sculptures by Carl Milles. The cemetery chapel also houses “Nattvarden,” a work by Björn Martinius. If you are interested in local history, you can combine your visit with a walk along Kyrkstigen. In the past, residents of Avaträsk used this trail to reach the church in Dorotea. Today, it starts at a barbecue area at the entrance to Avaträsk and ends at Kullerbacken; it can be walked in either direction. There are two shelters along the route.
The Husvagnsmuseet traces the development of the caravan, from the third one ever manufactured to models from the 1990s. Production moved to Dorotea after a fire at the original factory in Junsele. The museum is located on the eastern side of town, by European route E45. Another architectural highlight is Dorotea bibliotek: the building is designed to look like an open book. Inside, you’ll find, among other things, Helmer Grundström’s book collection and original paintings by Anna-Lisa Grundström. Exhibitions and cultural events are also part of the programme, which may vary.
Art lovers will find more stops around town: four of the 13 artworks along Konstvägen Sju Älvar are in Dorotea. The Doroteadrottning, created by Lasse Åberg, hangs on the wall of Strandenskolan beside the library. For another activity, the swimming pool in Medborgarhuset has a 25-metre pool and a diving board.
Discover more destinations: Svanabyn, Borgafjäll, Risbäck.
Return to the main travel overview: Dorotea.
